


Even Angels fear the Fall

by ElephantLoveMedley



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angel Wings, Drinking, F/M, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Therapy, Wings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-29 10:40:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21138833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElephantLoveMedley/pseuds/ElephantLoveMedley
Summary: In an alternate universe where almost everyone gains a supernatural power around their 20th birthday, Andrew Minyard is sure to already have his: eidetic memory.Everything changes one morning when he wakes up with wings. This new feature and his fear of heights, however, do not mix well.





	Even Angels fear the Fall

Andrew Minyard never really expected another change. After all he already had his eidetic memory and, although he knew that usually powers tended to present themselves around every person's 20th birthday, he also knew that they could manifest earlier, if the person found themselves in dire situations.  
He couldn't remembered a time when he wasn't struggling, so he thought it was ok.  
Aaron had presented a year before, right after Drake's death. He could cast some kind of light spells that allowed him to see in the dark, but also made him visible for the people who could help him in time of stress. Aaron didn't really like it, as he didn't crave attention, but Andrew was grateful everytime he glimpsed a small flicker moving toward him in the Columbia's house. He knew he wasn't alone. He knew that Aaron was alright. Besides it was kind of mesmerizing to see his brother dance in Eden's Twilight and shining under Katelyn's gaze (yes, she wasn't that bad after all. Not like he could tell Aaron.)  
Nicky had gained his powers the moment he made up his mind to go back to the twins and leave Eric in Germany. He was young, but the on going difficulties and this last blow made him grow. It was some kind of telepathic connection, not only with Eric, but with the places he had visited and the people he had met. He claimed it was difficult to connect with people who didn't want to interact, the connection was still there, but extremely weak. With Eric, however, it was as strong as ever, with both lovers working towards that common end.  
Andrew didn't like his memory, but he realized it was useful.  
Neil had manifested his powers the week after Baltimore. It was Andrew the one who first realized it, when the bruises on his abdomen had vanished and the cuts on his fingers became shallow. Neil could heal himself in some ways and Andrew was grateful, he knew how prone Neil was to injure himself. Moreover, it made his "I'm fine" lies a bit more bearable. The only thing Andrew didn't like about Neil's power was the inhuman quickness with which his hickeys disappeared. Neil liked it, because it just meant that Andrew had to spend more time with him if he wanted to see results. Andrew hated that look on his face. Junkie.  
All these experiences and more worked in his favour: he had the memory of a prodigy and that was his power. He had read article after article about early manifestation of power. He was sure about it. Bee agreed most of the time. Aaron had very few doubts. So why the fuck did he woke up with wings this morning?  
At least they were lined with black, they still fit his aesthetic. Kevin said they were like the ones of the stork, but Andrew didn't listen to him, it was already difficult to try and fit on a chair and he had the mental power to only accomplish one task this morning.  
Thankfully it was a saturday. The saturday before their graduation week end.  
Andrew hated his life.  
Neil was out for a run. Andrew hadn't jolted awake when he left, he didn't do that anymore, instead he had literally jumped awake by the force of his wings springing from his back.  
"At least championship's over. And you already have a contract."  
Andrew gritted his teeth. "Shut up, Kevin."  
"Just trying to help you see the bright side."  
Yes, the bright side, like there could even be one. "Boy afraid of heights grows wings to kill himself mid-flight instead of being killed by a plane crash." He could already see the head lines.  
At least he hadn't slept with his favourite t shirt on. He was so glad it was one of Kevin's.  
He drank his coffee while Kevin paced behind him in the kitchen, moving his hand in a scissor-like motion. When he found the scissors he went back to the bedroom. Andrew didn't stand up to investigate, he was trying to avoid a break down. He already had his memory, he didn't need this. He needed to call Bee, or Wymack. He needed to drive, but he wouldn't fit in the maserati. He needed to hide before Neil came back from his run.  
The door opened.  
His wings spasmed.  
Neil walked into the kitchen to take a bottle of water. Andrew froze. Neil opened the fridge, he closed it, he stared.  
His eyes, fuck his eyes. Andrew couldn't bear it. "Shut up."  
Neil was smiling, actually smiling that dumb smile that made Andrew go weak in the knees.  
"Stop staring, Neil." he growled.  
Neil lowered his gaze, but his smile was still there. Andrew could feel his face go red, his bare chest starting to blush. He was ashamed, so very ashamed. He needed his knives, he needed a cigarette. He couldn't go out.  
He perched himself on the window frame and took his packet of cigarettes. Why wouldn't Neil go away?  
"You look like an angel." Neil's voice was awed, mesmerized.  
He could strangle him. "I'll kill you." He took a drag. "Go shower."  
He was still fucking smiling. He was still fucking staring at Andrew, he could feel it. He bumped into Kevin.  
"Hi, Neil." Kevin looked between the two, a eyebrow raised.  
"I'll go shower."  
Kevin approached Andrew shuffling on the tiles and still soft from sleep. "Hey, Drew."  
Andrew didn't even stop smoking, but he gestured for him to go on.  
"I made this for you, I mean, it's one of my shirts so it's bigger but I think it would fit your wings better. I was also looking for an old hoodie..."  
Andrew actually stared at him, eyes interested for once, shocked even.  
"It's- I cut a hole on the back, for your wings. I figured you wouldn't want to walk around campus without a shirt on." Without an armor on, Andrew thought.  
He was so grateful for Kevin at times.  
It was an old Palmetto training t-shirt, but it was black, except for the little orange fox paw over the heart. Well, Kevin's heart, Andrew figured it would rest on his ribs.  
He finished his cigarette and stood up, trying to make the t-shirt fit and waging a war against the wings. They were not his.  
"Can I?" Kevin sounded hesitant and Andrew was on edge, but he needed this t-shirt so he could walk out of the dorms. So that he would not go insane.  
He muffled a yes from under the fabric and Kevin started to fold and unfold the wings, trying to make them fit through the hole in the back. He was so careful, every movement so fucking gentle. Andrew wanted to punch him. He gritted his teeth again.  
"They really are beautiful." Kevin was stroking the feathers, Andrew shoved him.  
"Shut up."  
He walked out of the kitchen and entered the bedroom. His armbands were already on, his wings were fluttering and Andrew started to look for the other pieces of his armour: black ripped jeans, his belt, combat boots (even if it was May) and his knives. He found them, then hesitated. Maybe he should find Renee, but how could he spar with these wings getting in the way? He was furious.  
He sheathed his knives and walked out the door. He saw Kevin and turned back.  
He placed the knives on the bed, took his car keys and headed back out.  
"When Neil finishes his shower tell him to put the knives away, ok, Kev?"  
Kevin nodded. He looked afraid.  
"I have my phone, you can call for emergencies."  
"I'd like to come with you."  
"No, you'll stay with Neil." Kevin looked troubled. "Just this afternoon, Kevin. No one can reach you anymore. You're safe."  
Kevin dropped his voice to a whisper. "Yes, but are you?"  
Andrew thanked the skies that he wasn't carrying his knives. "I'm going to find Aaron." and slammed the door.

He knocked three times on Aaron's door and was greeted by Nicky.  
"Andrew!" The cheer in his voice lasted for all of three seconds. "That explains the bad vibes coming from you. Neil's are fine though, I assumed it was just one of those days."  
Andrew tossed him the keys. "I need to go to Wymack and Bee."  
"Ok."  
"You'll drive."  
"Neil?"  
"You'll drive, Nicky."  
"Ok."  
He shouldered his way into the dorm and found Aaron sitting on the couch with his cheerleader. Every progress he had made during their joint sessions with Bee shattered, Andrew hated her now.  
Aaron must have thought the same: his hands were starting to glow and he looked at Andrew with a hundred questions in in eyes: "Are you carrying knives?" Managed to gain the priority over: "Why the fuck do you have wings now?"  
"No."  
"Ok." He straightened his back, Katelyn's legs still on his lap. Andrew hated how her power gave her the ability to make a situation quieter. He hated how he envied her.  
"When did this happened?"  
"This morning."  
Nicky entered the room. "Anything that could have triggered it?"  
"No, I was sleeping."  
Aaron winced. "Nightmares?" He believed his powers manifested to help him to get through nightmares and find his way in the dark.  
"No."  
"I see. Have you been having recurring thoughts lately?"  
"Some." He didn't explain any further and Aaron didn't press for an answer.  
"Physical trauma?"  
"No."  
Aaron nodded, then looked at him, then hesitated. "Everything ok with Neil?"  
Andrew huffed and his wings opened, knocking Nicky's mug of tea. "Hey!"  
Aaron kept staring at him. "Andrew..."  
Andrew sat down and glared at Katelyn, Aaron nudged her in his room's direction, then glared at Nicky, who made a betrayed sound, but followed Katelyn.  
"It was okay till these things appeared, he was out for a run, there was only Kevin home. Nicky was here."  
"And?"  
"And he fucking came in and said nothing, he just-"  
"He just?"  
"God damn, Aaron, what are you? A fucking parrot?"  
His twin's look was not impressed.  
"He just told me I looked like an angel." Now Aaron's expression looked a bit impressed. "And that idiot Kevin made me this t-shirt with a pair of fucking scissors."  
Aaron's expression was definitely surprised.  
"Aaron, is this normal?"  
"Well, Andrew, seeing as everyone shows their power after a difficult time, I wouldn't say it's normal; but, on the other hand, everyone has a power, so I'm not really sure what's normal. The majority? Then, yes."  
"Kevin doesn't have a power."  
"Yeah, well, because he's a fucking diva and physically needs to stand out in every aspect of his life."  
Andrew nodded. Maybe Kevin's power was actually being Kevin Day. What a shitty power. Andrew preferred him like this, he didn't want him to go through another difficult time just to find the disappointing power that the universe had created just for him. Andrew sure as hell didn't want his.  
"I'll go to, Bee."  
"I think it's a good idea, have you told Wymack?"  
"No. I'll go with Nicky before Bee."  
"Ok."  
"Call me if you need something."  
"You, too." Andrew stood up and yelled for Nicky.

"Andrew, could you please fold your wings?"  
"They're not mine."  
"Well, do you know how to fold them anyways? I can't reach the gearshift."  
"No. Shut up. I'm calling Bee."  
"Okaaay." Nicky huffed and worked around Andrew's left wing, careful not to touch him too much.  
"Hey, Bee." The wings fluttered. "Yeah, I'm not so good. I'm calling for an appointment, I know it's Saturday and you have your painting class." He stayed silent for a while, Bee's voice echoing through the phone. "No, I'm not hurt. It's- I've grown wings, Bee. I've grown wings and I hate them." Another bit of silence. "Yeah, Nicky is driving me to Wymack now. No, Neil has my knives. Okay, see you."  
"So?" Nicky was still struggling against the feathers.  
"Drop me off at Wymack's, Bee'll come pick me up."  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah. Keep an eye on Kevin and Neil."  
"Ok."  
Nicky stopped the car and Andrew worked his way out of it. He loved his Maserati, he couldn't give it up.  
When he managed to fold his wings again he headed for the door with just a nod to Nicky. He waited till Andrew was inside the building and started the car again.  
Andrew had a few texts from Neil, but he couldn't reply right now. Not in this mood. He waited for the lift, but when it finally arrived he couldn't find a way to make the wings fit. He hated them, he hated them so much. Why were they so big? He would never use them anyway!  
He turned to look at the infinte stair. He contemplated just giving up, sit down and let the day go bye. He just wanted to go to sleep. He wanted to be alone.  
He heard Wymack's front door opening, so he started his climb.  
When he landed on the last floor Wymack was already there to wait for him. "What the fuck, Minyard?!"  
"Don't wanna talk about it."  
"Why are you here then?"  
"Whiskey."  
They stayed in silence for so long that their ice cubes melted. "Is this the power?"  
"No, it was my fairy godmother."  
Wymack chuckled. "She has a great sense of humor, angel."  
Andrew snapped. "Don't."  
Wymack nodded and poured some other whiskey.  
"Why are you here, Andrew?"  
Andrew stretched the silence till it snapped. "I'm waiting for Bee."  
"Why aren't you waiting with Neil or Kevin, or Aaron?"  
"Questions, questions, questions. What do you care about the answer?"  
"You know I like the truth, Andrew."  
"You know I don't like to talk, coach."  
"You've gotten better, though."  
Andrew fell silent. Every other question went unanswered and the whiskey kept diminishing.  
When Bee finally arrived, Andrew's wings were sloppy and uncoordinated: a sharp contrast with his stony expression. Wymack helped him in the car and was promptly shrugged off.

"So, Andrew what do you want to talk about?"  
Andrew huffed, an amused smile grazing his lips. "I don't know, Bee. What do you think is the priority here?"  
Bee handed him a cup of hot chocolate and sat on the couch. She smiled and he felt himself calm down.  
She claimed she had some bullshit power about making painting talk, but he thought her power was something similar to Katelyn's. He never told her that, it would make her think that he appreciated Katelyn.  
"It was very mature of you to leave the knives at the dorm."  
Andrew sipped his chocolate and didn't say anything.  
Bee waited.  
"How did your painting class go?"  
"It went well enough, the lighthouse kept whispering pieces of Shakespeare's plays."  
"What plays?"  
"She had a fondness for Romeo and Juliet."  
"Loser."  
Bee chuckled. "I remember your fierce opinion of it. I remember your essay."  
Andrew sighed. "I remember too, Bee. That's the problem. I already have a power, why this one?"  
"You know that your memory is nothing supernatural, there has always been the possibility."  
"Yeah, but I didn't ask for it."  
"I know, Andrew." She looked sad, so fucking sad.  
He felt guilty.  
"But, you know, you could still find them useful. You could still find them beautiful. I'm sure they have a purpose."  
"And what's that, Bee?" He was whispering, he was so fucking tired. "Please, tell me, because I don't get it. It's just a joke and a cruel one at that."  
"I know you're afraid of heights Andrew but have you ever thought about vertigo not as you fearing the fall, but as you wishing you could fly? Maybe this is your opportunity."  
"Well, Bee, I think my ability of flying exponentially increases my chances of falling. So, no."  
"You can fall only if you fly, that's true. But the wings give you the control that you never had before in those situations." Bee smiled at him. "You have to choose to fly, Andrew. It's your choice now."  
He was quite skeptical.  
"Maybe you won't fly today, maybe you won't fly tomorrow, or ever. Maybe they're just a warning. The point is: you still have them."  
"But I don't want them!" He was getting angry.  
"Ok, then I'm sure there's a way to remove them."  
"You make it sound easy."  
She kept smiling. It was one of the few smiles that didn't get on his nerves. "It easy, Andrew. It's your choice, it's your life. It's as simple as that." She placed her cup down and looked him in the eyes. "It's true: you didn't choose to have wings, but you can still choose to remove them. You overcame so many difficult things that it feels unfair to have even this one, but remember that powers are born from hardship. They're born to help us."  
"And how do talking paintings help you, Bee?"  
"They make me feel like I'm never alone."  
"What a nightmare."  
Bee kept smiling on. He could see the line of her smile, the ones near the eyes, the ones that guaranteed it was authentic. "Well, having wings is a dream for a lot of people."  
Andrew placed his cup down, besides Bee's. "People don't have to play exy."  
Bee frowned this time. "That's what has been troubling you?"  
Andrew took a deep breath. "What's been troubling me is the fact that I already signed a contract and that I planned to keep an eye on Kevin and Neil thanks to that contract."  
"Are you afraid of losing them?"  
"I'm afraid of heights, Bee. Period."  
She stayed silent for a bit. Andrew recognised her scheming face. "Do you know what birds have these wings, Andrew?"  
"Kevin said storks."  
"Kevin was right." Andrew huffed. When wasn't he? "And you know what they're famous for?"  
"Long legs?"  
Bee laughed. "Yeah, Andrew, for their long legs, but also because they travel and they build big nests. Usually on rooftops."  
If Andrew could have shown disbelief on his face, he would have. He was simply set on not showing anything. The wings, however, jerked. Traitors.  
"So, your take on this bullshit is that I have wings because I stand on rooftops?"  
"No, my take on this "bullshit" is that you have wings because you'd like to learn how to fly or at least you'd like to know how to trust it. And they're these specific kind of wings because you're going to leave here soon to build yourself another home. You just have to figure out what kind of home."  
The words hit him like a brick. He had thought so much about this. About Neil and Kevin and the key to the house in Columbia. He had thought about nights alone in his apartment, the one he still had to choose. He thought about exy and how he started to look at it as a mean to an end, how this end was being there for Neil and Kevin and Aaron and Nicky. He had thought about it a lot, but there was still a thought that paralysed him, that made the fight leave his body: what if they hadn't thought about it? What if in the end they stopped needing protection? What if he was the one that needed it?  
Who had his back?  
He was still afraid of falling, even more so, but didn't that mean that he simply had more to lose now?

Bee dropped him off at the dorm after another cup of hot chocolate. Andrew still needed to clear his mind, he needed a cigarette, so he went to the roof.  
He walked to the edge, toeing the line of the fall.  
He noticed a small envelope. He opened it, the inside was filled with Neil's messy writing: "I didn't know when you'd come back, I'll wait for you when you're ready."  
A small key was sitting in the folds of the envelope. It was the key to his dorm, the one he shared with his family.  
He pressed the key over his heart, where the fox paw should have been lying. He looked at the sky, the wind flapping the back of Kevin's t-shirt, Aaron and Katelyn silhouettes moving in the parking lot below.  
Maybe what he got wasn't always what he had wished for, but he could already see everything he needed. He just needed to take a leap and grasp it.  
He lit a cigarette, contented, and felt his wings retreat.


End file.
